How Hard Is the Colorado Real Estate Exam and How to Pass It the First Time?

Earning your real estate license in Colorado need not be challenging if you put in the time and effort to study and prepare.

From what you learn in your pre-licensing course to studying on your own, once you know what to expect, your odds of passing the exam go right up.

To get insight into the real estate exam results in the state and improve your chances of passing the test the first time, keep reading. We’ve compiled everything you need to know right here.

How to Study for the Colorado Real Estate Exam

How hard is the real estate exam in Colorado? The answer to that question depends on how seriously you prepare.

The first step is nailing down what exactly is on the exam, and the best way to do that is through the required pre-licensing coursework for aspiring real estate agents in Colorado.

Those wishing to get an associate broker real estate license in the state must complete 168 total hours of coursework.

These hours are broken down into six required courses that hone in on the topics most important to review for the exam.

Courses are offered through any of the accredited real estate classes in Colorado, where you can also view that school’s pass rate record.

It can help potentially improve your chances at reducing any real estate exam difficulty since you already know that institution’s record before starting the coursework.

The course breakdown is as follows:

• Real Estate Law and Practice – 48 hours
• Colorado Contract and Regulations – 48 hours
• Practical Applications – 32 hours
• Real Estate Closings – 24 hours
• Trust Accounts and Recordkeeping – 8 hours
• Current Legal Issues – 8 hours

Many of the approved schools offer online and in-person course options, which allows you to pick a format that works best with your schedule.

Both carry their own set of pros and cons, so it’s up to you to decide how you want to study and prepare.

Read more about this through our guide comparing real estate classes online vs in-person courses.

Learning via traditional classroom setting gives you that face-to-face time with future colleagues and instructors that can come in handy as you begin networking.

It’s that much easier to form study groups as well, when you can approach someone, in person, and ask if they’d like to work with you.

This particular format also provides you with a consistent schedule, enabling you to put the classes on your calendar well in advance.

By doing so, you can work around your other commitments and responsibilities without surprises.

However, if you have a schedule that’s pretty flexible, taking classes through an online format might work better for you.

Since many of these types of classes let you do at least some of the work at your own pace, you might be able to complete the required hours faster.

What to Study for the Colorado Real Estate Exam

It is extremely helpful to know where to get an idea of what is on the real estate exam. In Colorado, the best place to look is in the bulletin put out by PSI Exams.

They administer the test and share detailed information on the specific areas covered in both the national and state sections of the exam.

While most of these topics are covered within your pre-licensing courses, the bulletin also provides a list of suggested resources to use for additional study.

These key topics are best to study for the national portion of the exam:

• Property ownership
• Land use controls and regulations
• Valuation and market analysis
• Financing
• General principles of agency
• Property disclosure
• Contracts
• Leasing and property management
• Transfer of title
• Practice of real estate
• Real estate calculations

The following topics are important to focus on for the Colorado portion:

• Duties and powers of the Real Estate Commission
• Licensing requirements
• Requirements governing activities of licensees
• Colorado forms and contracts
• Recordkeeping and trust accounts
• Closing and settlement
• Brokerage relationships
• Additional topics like the Landlord Tenant Act, state taxes, the Colorado Fair Housing Act, and more

6 Tips for Passing the Colorado Real Estate Exam

After you’ve signed up for your pre-licensing coursework and collected supplementary materials, what comes next is the hard part. It’s time to study.

Sitting through class and reading the right books only gets you so far when preparing to take the Colorado real estate exam.

Developing a good study plan to manage what you are learning will make it easier to retain what you really need to know.

These tips can help make for a more productive study session.

1. Memorize

Most of what you need to know to pass your real estate exam is all about the facts. You’ll need to memorize dates, regulations, and more.

Taking down all these important facts during your pre-licensing courses ensures you have the right information to memorize. Transform them into flashcards and you can quiz yourself daily.

2. Pay Attention from the Start

Your pre-licensing courses are definitely the best place to get all the necessary information for your exam.

Listening well during a lecture means you’ll have less to figure out on your own when you’re hitting the books to study.

3. Prepare Outlines

A great way to hold on to this new, incoming information is by creating outlines of the material while it’s still fresh in your brain.

Go home after class, or pause from an online session, to compile and organize what you just learned.

These outlines will make great study tools later on, providing a great source for easy review.

4. Form a Study Group

It never hurts to study with others when digging through a ton of information.

A study group can help you stay motivated to actually prepare for the Colorado real estate exam, too. You’ll have someone close at hand to quiz you on your flashcards as well.

5. Make Time for Some Self-Care

It’s not studying per se, but it’s definitely a big part of preparing for the exam. If your body isn’t physically ready for that test, all the information you’ve been reviewing is useless.

Make sure you’re eating and sleeping enough the few days leading up to the exam, and especially the night before.

The day of the test, don’t skip breakfast and bring an extra snack to eat on the way.

6. Be an Efficient Test Taker

Timed tests are stressful no matter how well you know the material.

To keep the clock from messing with your head, be as prepared to take the test itself as you are to answer the questions correctly.

Keep in mind these tips when taking the exam:

• Answer the questions that are easiest for you first.
• Only select answers that feel familiar, even if you’re guessing.
• Save the hard questions for the very last, the ones you feel like you have no idea on.
• Don’t select a final answer, for any question, until you’ve read through all the choices.
• Use a process of elimination when you can’t narrow down an answer by removing obviously wrong choices first.

We have more tips on studying for the real estate exam.

The fee for taking the Colorado real estate exam is $44.95 the first time you take it. Should you need to retake it, the fee goes down to $42.50.

To register for the exam, you’ll need to go through PSI Services. The fastest and easiest way to sign up is through their online portal or by calling 800-733-9267.

Read our article on how much it costs to get a real estate license in Colorado for a complete breakdown of licensing fees.

What Is the Colorado Real Estate Exam Pass Rate?

Is the Colorado real estate exam hard? There is no real estate salesperson exam in the state, but what is offered is an associate broker’s exam.

And, like most tests, this exam could be hard if you don’t properly prepare.

Looking solely at the minimum passing scores for the Colorado real estate exam, it falls pretty well within the average.

How hard one perceives any test as they take it impacts their chances of passing.

Looking at the average pass rates among all the real estate education providers in Colorado, you can easily calculate how many people pass the real estate exam the first time out.

Success rates are higher within the national portion at 86.4 percent. Considerably fewer pass the state portion on the first try, with only a 68.22-percent success rate.

Note that you must pass both portions to get your real estate license in Colorado.

How Many Questions Are on the Colorado Real Estate Exam?

Taking the real estate exam in Colorado requires you to complete a total of 154 questions broken out into two sections.

The national portion of the exam has 80 questions, while the state portion has 74.

You have two hours to complete the national section and 110 minutes for the state portion.

How Many Math Questions Are on the Colorado Real Estate Exam?

For the Colorado real estate exam, 10 percent of the national portion constitutes calculations.

This includes coverage of basic Math concepts and calculations for transactions. A total of eight questions are included in the Math portion of the exam.

What Is the Colorado Real Estate Exam Passing Score?

To pass the Colorado real estate exam, you need 60 out of the 80 questions correct on the national section, and 53 out of 74 on the state portion.

By section, that translates to a 75-percent minimum passing score on the national section and a 71.5-percent minimum passing score for the state.

How Many Times Can You Fail and Retake the Colorado Real Estate Exam?

If you fail the Colorado real estate exam, you have an unlimited number of opportunities to retake one or both parts.

The one caveat to retaking is that passing scores are only good for one year.

So, if you pass one section and are only retaking the other, you have a year to pass that second section before having to take both sections over again.

How Long Do You Have to Wait to Retake the Colorado Real Estate Exam?

PSI Services allows you to schedule a retake as early as the day after you receive a failing grade. There may not be availability on that exact date, but the delay isn’t often long.

In the best case scenario, if you failed on Monday, you could call on Tuesday and have an appointment to retake the test on Wednesday.

For time estimates of all the other steps in the licensing process, read our guide on how long it takes to get a real estate license in Colorado.

Do You Have to Pay to Retake the Colorado Real Estate Exam?

There is a separate retake fee each time you need to take the real estate exam in Colorado.

Regardless of whether you’re taking one or both sections, the retake fee is $42.50. This is slightly less than what you’ll pay the first time you attempt to take the exam.

With this information, you can be more prepared to take the real estate exam in the state.

As you get ready for the exam, you will also need to complete a few other requirements for getting a real estate license in Colorado.

One of the prerequisites is to find a sponsoring broker who will be in charge of filing your license application.

You can select one from our database of the top real estate brokerage firms in Colorado. Be sure to know how to choose a real estate broker to work for to make your selection easier.

You are also required to get a background check. Know the steps to the background screening by referring to our article on getting a Colorado real estate license with violations on the record.

It is important to be fully prepared for a busy career ahead, so learn what it’s like to have a real estate agent job as a career.

While you’re at it, better arm yourself with enough information on how to join a real estate team.

You will need to be a part of one to meet experienced agents who can help guide your career.

Once passing the exam, it is a must to know what to do after you get your real estate license.

This is when you can come up with a good action plan for building your real estate business in the state.

To help you build and grow your real estate career quickly, we at Real Estate Bees created a directory for real estate professionals.

It’s designed to help you get more exposure for your business, including receiving leads. Create a free profile by signing up here.

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About the Author

Kristina Morales is a REALTOR® with over 20 years of professional experience. She actively practices real estate in Ohio but also has practiced real estate in California and Texas. Conducting her real estate business in three states has allowed her to gain unique experiences that make her a well-rounded realtor. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and her MBA with a concentration in Banking and Finance. Prior to real estate, Kristina had an extensive corporate career in banking and treasury. She ended her finance career as an Assistant Treasurer at a publicly traded oil & gas company in Houston, TX.